Topical Bible: Christ is God: As Jehovah, the Shepherd

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The depiction of Christ as God, specifically in the role of Jehovah the Shepherd, is a profound theme woven throughout the Scriptures. This imagery not only underscores the divinity of Christ but also highlights His intimate care and guidance for His people.

Jehovah as the Shepherd in the Old Testament

The concept of God as a shepherd is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. One of the most well-known passages is Psalm 23:1, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Here, David acknowledges Jehovah as the provider and protector, guiding His flock with care and compassion. This imagery is further reinforced in Ezekiel 34:11-12, where God declares, "For this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among his flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.'"

Christ as the Fulfillment of the Shepherd

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ explicitly identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd, fulfilling the Old Testament portrayal of Jehovah. In John 10:11, Jesus states, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." This declaration not only affirms His role as the shepherd but also His sacrificial love, a divine attribute that aligns with the character of Jehovah.

Furthermore, in John 10:14-15, Jesus reiterates, "I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep." This intimate knowledge and relationship between the shepherd and His sheep reflect the deep connection between Christ and His followers, mirroring the relationship between Jehovah and Israel.

The Shepherd's Divine Authority

The authority of Christ as the Shepherd is further emphasized in passages such as Matthew 25:31-32, where Jesus describes His return in glory: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." This eschatological role underscores His divine authority to judge and separate, a role attributed to God alone.

The Shepherd's Eternal Care

The eternal care of Christ as the Shepherd is beautifully captured in Revelation 7:17, "For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. 'He will lead them to springs of living water,' and 'God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'" Here, the Lamb, a title for Christ, is depicted as the shepherd who provides eternal sustenance and comfort, echoing the promises of Jehovah in the Old Testament.

Conclusion

The portrayal of Christ as Jehovah the Shepherd is a testament to His divine nature and His unwavering commitment to His people. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus embodies the perfect shepherd, fulfilling the promises of God and providing eternal care and guidance to His flock.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 40:11
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Jehovah. The "I Am. "
... Jehovah shammah, the Lord is there (Ezekiel 48 ... "When God would teach ... In these days
in which the person of Christ is so much belittled, attacked; He as the Holy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gaebelein/the lord of glory/jehovah the i am.htm

The Great Shepherd
... Besides, who but Jehovah can relieve the necessities of multitudes in all ... he is wise;
he knows the Gospel of Christ to be the power of God, the appointed ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xiii the great shepherd.htm

Christ the Good Shepherd.
... referring to the comforting advent of Christ, liken the ... the Prophet, speaking in
the name of Jehovah, "and they ... sheep: "For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/i christ the good shepherd.htm

That Worthy Name.
... Only Christ can give joy and comfort, peace and rest to ... the God of Glory, the Holy
One; Jehovah, the everlasting ... the Word of Life, the Wisdom of God, the Angel ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gaebelein/the lord of glory/that worthy name.htm

The Good Shepherd
... Christ gives a second edition of the figure, and we ... utterances in the old Revelation
in which Jehovah Himself is ... according to the one of which God Himself was ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the good shepherd.htm

The Fact of the Redeemer's Return
... because He hung there as the Sin-Bearer that Jehovah said, "Awake ... Zech.13:7). Thus,
the Death of Christ must be ... cold-blooded murder; from the side of God it was ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/chapter three the fact of.htm

The Good Shepherd.
... God's people, into the church of the living God, to the ... Christ came to give life,
and to give it an abundant ... This title, applied to Jehovah in Psalm 23 and in ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the good shepherd.htm

The Shepherd, the Stone of Israel
... days: 'Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is the ... as well as in
his solemn prophecy of the Stone which God would lay ... On Christ we may build. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the shepherd the stone of.htm

Christ is Glorious --Let us Make Him Known
... in his Church is effectually powerful in its action; "He shall feed in the strength
of Jehovah." Wherever Christ is, there is God; and whatever ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/christ is gloriouslet us make.htm

Sin Charged Upon the Surety
... He therefore is Jehovah, the LORD of Hosts, whom Abraham, David, and Isaiah ... who can
prevail against them, when their life is hidden with Christ in God? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xx sin charged upon.htm